Who managed Arsenal when the 2026–27 Premier League opening match was played?

Mikel Arteta managed Arsenal when the 2026–27 Premier League opening match was played.

Arsenal opened the campaign at home to Coventry City on Friday 21 August 2026. Arteta was listed as Arsenal’s manager, with Martin Ødegaard named as club captain in the season’s personnel table.

The opening match also had a managerial contrast on the visiting side: Coventry City were managed by Frank Lampard. That pairing made the fixture a meeting between the defending champions and one of the newly promoted clubs.

Arteta had been Arsenal’s manager since December 2019, when he succeeded Unai Emery. By the 2026–27 season, Arsenal were defending their first Premier League title in 22 years. The other managers in the wrong-answer list led different opening-round clubs: Michael Carrick managed Manchester United, Lampard managed Coventry, and Xabi Alonso managed Chelsea.